• In 2013 the Huddersfield Giants organised a
collection of old club shirts from supporters.
• They sent them to poor families in Papua New
Guinea.
• This was a generous act of charity by the club and its
supporters.
• This is the story of many, inspirational, acts of charity
by a former rugby league player, Steve Prescott.
•
• Every year the Huddersfield Giants give special
awards to their best players of the season.
• In 2014, Joe Wardle was voted the club’s Playerof-the-Season.
• The players and
clubs from Super
League all vote for
the winner of the
Super League
player-of-the-season.
• It is called the Man of
Steel Award.
• Two Huddersfield
Giants players have
won this award …
… Brett Hodgson in 2009
and Danny Brough in 2013.
Steve Prescott
A Real Man
of Steel!
Every year the teams in Super League
set out to reach the Grand Final
at Old Trafford.
In 2012 Leeds Rhinos beat
Warrington Wolves in the Old
Trafford Final.
• In the week leading up to the final,
this man put his body through a
very severe test!
• He is Steve Prescott.
• 38-year-old father
of two, Steve
Prescott from St
Helens, ran the
London Marathon
twice.
• He played
professional Rugby
League until he
shattered his knee
cap in a game and
had to retire.
• Steve Prescott
was from a
Rugby League
family.
• His dad Eric
Prescott played
for St Helens in
the 1970s.
• Steve was a star full back for St
Helens, Hull and Wakefield Trinity.
• He also represented England in
international matches.
• In 2006 Steve was told that he had a rare form of
stomach cancer and probably had only months to live.
• He went into Christie’s Hospital in Manchester where he
was operated on and given treatment.
• To say “Thank you”, he set up the Steve Prescott
Foundation in 2007.
• The Foundation raised almost £500,000 for the hospital!
In the week before the 2012 Grand
Final Steve set himself the challenge
of raising money as he …
• swam the River Humber
• cycled 126 Miles from the River
Humber to the River Mersey
• swam the River Mersey
• ran 18 Miles from the River
Mersey to Runcorn Bridge
• kayaked 26 Miles down the
Bridgewater Canal to Old Trafford
• He had already
tackled other big
challenges, such as:
• running between all
the Super League
grounds
• rowing 24 miles up
the Thames as a
member of a Dragon
Boat crew.
• cycling, with
his team of
friends, from
Lands End to
John
O’Groats.
That is 874 miles!
As well as the cycle ride Steve also climbed
the highest mountains in England, Scotland
and Wales.
In 2009 Steve was awarded
the MBE by the Prince of Wales.
• Steve had
not been
cured but he
fought on,
inspiring and
helping
others.
In 2012 Steve was named in the
Independent’s Top 100 Happy People
who make Britain a happier place to live!
• Steve died on 9 November 2013.
• Steve died on 9 November 2013.
In 2014 the Rugby Football League
renamed the annual ‘Man of Steel’ award
the ‘Steve Prescott Man of Steel’ award’.
• Whilst his health was still deteriorating from
cancer, Steve said:
• “There will be a time when I won’t be here and
my kids will look back at what I have done to
help other people and I hope they’ll be proud!”
I think they will be!